Best pot for a laddle caster.

[white eagle]

started out ladle casting and never saw any reason to change
I started out using a coleman stove and small cast iron pot
them moved to a single burner camp stove
I ended up with a Lee electric pot (not sure the model)
but its the cats meow
sounds like your headed in that direction so I won't
waiver you but I will say that mine works like a charm

[georgerkahn]

All above posts are great! I acquired a cast iron dutch oven and it works very well! The lid, inverted next to it while I'm using it, makes a wonderful holder for ladle, dross-spoon, and even a place to drop that occasional wheel-weight piece of steel. One of the first things I did upon electing to use this pot for melting alloy was to use an electric vibratory marker to etch my crude rendition of the "POISON" symbol on the lid's top, as well as three equally (almost ) spaces on its outside. Once used to melt lead, it is imperative whatever vessel one uses NEVER EVER be used for food.

[gwpercle]

Another ladle caster!

Feels good to find out there are others beside's myself, that still use one and two cavity moulds and a dipper.

[slohunter]

Feels good to find out there are others beside's myself, that still use one and two cavity moulds and a dipper.

You mean there are other method ways to make boolits?

[Ole Joe Clarke]

I recently purchased the Lee Mag Pot and a Lyman ladle. I'm not sure it's the method I like, just can't seem to get the hang of it. I throw away, recycle, a lot of cast bullets. I haven't given up on it though, but I have brought my old Lyman bottom pour inside to see if I can restore it. The pot works as it should, most, if not all, of my casting problems are operator error.

[gwpercle]

Casting has a definite learning curve and no one technique will work for everybody. Just keep trying different things. More art than a science with a bit of voodoo and black magic thrown in. And to complicate things is each mould likes to be cast in a different way...hotter, cooler, slower, faster....They all remind me of fickle women. Just when you think you've got them all figured out, they change what they like and leave you scratching your head.
Gary

[chrisstophere]

I think I found a way to cheat...a PID and a hot plate with a steel warmer box...it sure makes it a bunch easier than a simple thermometer

[country gent]

One little trick with your ladle is to drill a nut out for a press fit o its shaft. this gices a stop to hook on the pots edge. Instead of sitting ladle beside pot dip it into lead and let the nut hold it handle away from heat. Always have hot lead to pour that way.

[RogerDat]

Feels good to find out there are others beside's myself, that still use one and two cavity moulds and a dipper.

If it ain't broke I don't see how I can fix it. Far as I can tell the ladle ain't broke.

I have used a hot plate and still have it but of late have been using a small pot on the turkey fryer I use for smelting.
I just drop in those three rusty pieces of 1/2 x 1/2 angle iron so the pot has something to sit on. Pull them out for dutch oven when smelting.


One of these days I may get around to buying an electric melter, I use 2 and 1 cavity molds mostly, except for a couple of 4 cavity. I guess I'm not yet convinced that I would like to spend the money on molds with more cavities so I could take advantage of the bottom pour to really increase my production. Of course by the time I have the melter I may have many 10's of pounds already cast so will have little incentive to spend money on faster production molds. That burner heats fast but throws a lot of heat out into the air, nice this time of year but I think the electric would be more comfortable to work around for much of the year.

[Viper225]

I started with a 10 pound Pot, then got a Lyman Electric bottom pour 20 pounder, I believe. The bottom pour locked up on it. I was not all that impressed with it anyway.
I found a 10 Inch Lodge Cast Iron Pot with lead in it and a dipper at a Flea Market. I do not see me ever using anything else to cast bullets. I put the pot on a Turkey Fryed Burner bring it up to 700 and go to town. I am using a long handle RCBS Ladle. I have thought about getting a better ladle, but so far I am still using the RCBS.

Bob

[cstrickland]

wow I am late ( as usual ) to the thread. I was torn when I first started casting about a bottom pour or ladle. I watched videos , read post and in the end started cheap. small propane camp stove, SS 2 quart pot and a Lyman ladle that was a Christmas gift from my lovely mother.


I do not cast a lot. cast only a few thousand bullets or so a year for 9mm, 300 blk and 223. I usually only run about 10 - 15lbs of lead at a time, but the ladle works so well I have not seen a need for anything else. Only thing I am upgrading is to an electric burner. Easier to keep in the garage and no fuss for me. Just plug in and go

I also only use a 2 cavity for the 9mm / 300 blk and a 4 cavity mold for the 223. the Lyman ladle holds jus the right amount. I must say the ladle with the hole in the bottom looked like something worth trying for the $1 cost of a ladle

the lee melter mentioned in the thread are nice looking , but I like the ability to pick up the small stock pot when I am done and pour all the remaining lead out into an ingot . Maybe if I casted several thousand at a time it would be different

[jimofaz]

"The Waage K 4757 $150 can only be ordered on the phone. Outstanding 20 pounds, holds temperature. I love it"

+1 on the above advice.

Mine is set-up for 220V.

Jim

[jmort]

I got mine in April 2015 and this is what my 4757 cost. See post #5. Well worth the $$$.

The price is $198.00 + S& H of $30.00 .